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The Pathophysiology of Cigarette Smoking and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Retinal Degenerative Diseases

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 664))

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of visual impairment, in people over 65, in the Western world. AMD is a multifactorial disease with genetic and environmental factors influencing disease progression. Cigarette smoking is the most significant environmental influence with an estimated increase in risk of 2- to 4-fold. Smoke-induced damage in AMD is mediated through direct oxidation, depletion of antioxidant protection, immune system activation and atherosclerotic vascular changes. Moreover, cigarette smoke induces angiogenesis promoting choroidal neovascularisation and progression to neovascular AMD. Further investigation into the effects of cigarette smoke through in vitro and in vivo experimentation will provide a greater insight into the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the Research Foundation of the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin and the Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ocular Genetics Unit, Department of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

    S.S. Ni Dhubhghaill, M.T. Cahill, M. Campbell, L. Cassidy, M.M. Humphries & P. Humphries

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  1. S.S. Ni Dhubhghaill
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  2. M.T. Cahill
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  3. M. Campbell
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  4. L. Cassidy
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  5. M.M. Humphries
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  6. P. Humphries
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S.S. Ni Dhubhghaill .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Health Science Center, University of Oklahoma, Stanton L. Young Blvd. 608, Oklahoma City, 73104, USA

    Robert E. Anderson

  2. Division of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Euclid Ave. 9500, Cleveland, 44195, USA

    Joe G. Hollyfield

  3. School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, Kirkham St. 10, San Francisco, 94143, USA

    Matthew M. LaVail

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Dhubhghaill, S.N., Cahill, M., Campbell, M., Cassidy, L., Humphries, M., Humphries, P. (2010). The Pathophysiology of Cigarette Smoking and Age-Related Macular Degeneration. In: Anderson, R., Hollyfield, J., LaVail, M. (eds) Retinal Degenerative Diseases. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 664. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1399-9_50

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